Students typically agonize over the ideal theme of their college essays for hours.
But there’s one component of the process that shouldn’t be a source of concern: how long should a college essay be for students?
Fortunately, this article will help find the optimal college essay length for all of your applications.
Unlike high school projects, which often have a hard page limitation, most universities give their application essays a word limit or word range. This approach ensures that, regardless of font or formatting, essays have the same length.
As a general guideline, students should aim to reach as close to the upper limit of the word range as feasible without exceeding it. Continue reading to learn more about the best practices for college essay length.
Read Also: College Essay Format and Word Count Limits
In addition to the personal statement, most colleges demand extra writing. Supplementary and scholarship essays vary in length based on the school’s requirements.
But they are frequently shorter than the personal statement or primary essay, particularly if many additional essays are required. Some colleges need a large number of extra essays, each with its own word count limit.
For instance, Georgetown wants four extra essays ranging in length from 250 to 700 words, while Stanford requires a staggering eleven supplemental essays ranging in length from 10 to 250 words.
Unless you’re quite certain you can answer the prompt entirely and successfully in fewer words, the lower the word count limit, the more closely you should stick to it.
You can go above the word limit on some application portals, but there are good reasons to do so:
‣ To keep the attention of the admissions officer
‣ To demonstrate your ability to follow instructions
‣ To show that you can write succinctly
Learn More About: some tips on how to make your essay shorter
Although most institutions specify a word count for candidates, some provide more general guidelines. A college, for example, may need a specific amount of pages or paragraphs.
If you aren’t given a word count, strive to follow writing conventions and best practices. Avoid creating paragraphs that are either too short or too long—a safe upper limit is 250 words per paragraph.
Stick to a standard font and font size (such as Times New Roman 12) if you’re requested to write a certain number of pages, single- or double-spaced.
If the college doesn’t offer guidelines, shoot for an essay length of 500 words.
For more information on Common App Essay Word Limit Click Here